Ceiling bed



v. R. WILL March 1-1, 1.952

CEILING BED Filled Maron 13, 1945 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS March ll, 1952 V, R, W|| L 2,588,785

CEILING BED Filed March 13, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Uclcor R, ZUL'Z/ BY LAL fiumi ATTORNEYS v.A R. WILL.

CEILING BED March l1, 1952 3 Sheefs-Sheet 3 Filed March 13, 1945 INVENTOR UcorR. Ui/ZL ATTQRNEYS ltable 3.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CEILING BED Victor R. Will, Sacramento, Calif.

Application March 13, 1945, Serial No. 582,456

7 Claims.

I'his invention relates in general to an improved folding bed of the type which disappears into a compartment when not in use.

In particular the present invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel folding bed arranged in combination with a dressing room type closet; the bed when folded being disposed in an out-of-way position in a compartment formed in the ceiling of the closet, and the closet then being usable as a dressing room without interference by the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding bed which can be easily folded and disposed in its out-of-the-way position in the closet or unfolded and disposed in the room for use.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a folding bed which is constructed and mounted so that the bed is safe when in use and cannot accidentally fold when occupied,

A further object is to provide a bed of the type described which includes a folding, springcounterbalanced mount of novel construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of and 5, and clothes-hanging rod 6, are disposed about the central portion of the closet, and in which central portion, at the front, I support the bed mount, as will hereinafter appear.

The bed mount comprises an elongated swinging frame, indicated generally at 'I, which frame comprises a transversely spaced pair of rigid side bars 8, suitably connected together to form said frame. Intermediate the ends of the frame I and relatively closer to its lower or inner end, said frame is pivotally connected at transversely spaced points 9 to the upper ends of a pair of rigid upstanding supporting legs IIJ secured to the floor II of the closet I adjacent the front of the latter and intermediate its sides. The frame 'I is thus mounted for swinging movement from an upstanding position, as shown in Fig. 2, to a lowered position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The bottom I2 of the ceiling compartment 2 at the front is cut away where necessary to clear the bars 8 when the latter are raised, frame 'I then extending a short distance above said compartment bottom I2, closely adjacent the forward edge of the latter as shown in Fig. 2.

At its upper or outer end the frame l is prosuch structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure l is a front elevation of a closet incorporating my improved folding bed, with the.

bed folded and the closet doors closed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the closet and folding-bed assembly, with the bed folded.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view, with the closet mainly in section and showing the bed unfolded for use.

Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now morev particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral I indicates a dressing-room type closet formed at the ceiling with a bed receiving ceiling compartment 2, which opens into the room.

A dressing table 3 is disposed in the closet I at the back, with shelves 4 likewise mounted at the back of the closet to one side of said dressing shelves 5, while at the other end a clothes hanging rod 6 is suspended from the ceiling. The dressing table 3, together with the shelves 4 At one end the closet includes other vided with a transverse pair of rigid arms I3 disposed at right angles to said frame and pro-- jecting inwardly into the compartment 2 when said frame 'I is in its upstanding or folded posi-l tion, as shown in Fig. 2.

A rectangular bed frame I4, provided with a spring-type mattress base I5 and upstanding end guards I6, is normally disposed in the ceiling compartment 2. The bed frame I4 is pivotally connected at its ends, intermediate the sides of said bed frame, as at II, to the arms I3. A roller I8 on the inner side of the bed frame normally rides on a track I9 in the ceiling compartment 2 so as to maintain the bed frame I4 in horizontal position. As will be seen, pivots I'I are closer to the outer than the inner edge of the bed frame, so

that the latter may be entirely disposed within compartment 2, while keeping arms I3 relatively short and the upper end of frame 1 just barely in said compartment. Tension springs 20 are, therefore, connected between arms I3 and the bed frame outwardly of the pivots Il, so as to counteract to a certain extent the oifset pivoting of the bed frame. These springs areV arranged so as to dispose the bed frame in a substantially level position for entry into compartment 2 by the time frame I has been swung up the necessary distance.

With further upward swinging of frame l. and the engagement of the bed frame roller I8 first with the bottom of compartment 2 and subsequently with track I9, the springs 20 become slack, said track taking the overhanging weight of the bed frame.

At the lower end of the frame 1 each side bar 8 connects with a heavy-duty tension spring 2l which extends rearwardly to attachment with a oor bracket 22; the springs 2i being mounted so that they pass dead-center at an intermediate point in the path of swinging movement o the upstanding frame 1 between its folded position of Fig. 2 and its unfolded position of Fig. 4. By reason of such spring arrangement, the springs 2i tend to facilitate withdrawal of the bed frame i4 from the ceiling compartment 2 for use, and

also tend to assist raising of the bed frame from unfolded to folded position.

In the dressing room i the inner ends of the side bars 8, together with the corresponding springs 2l and brackets 22, are disposed within protective hoods 23 between which a clothes hamper 24 is formed, the top of which clothes hamper serving as a dressing-room seat 25.

The closet at the front and on opposite sides of the elongated swinging frame 1 is provided with doors 2S by means of which a person can gain access into the dressing room i from either side, and when the bed is in either folded or unfolded position. Between the doors the front of the closet is normally closed by a fixed bottom panel 21 and an upper panel 28 secured to the frame 1 for lowering movement with the latter; the upper panel 28 being formed at the bottom with an outwardly opening trap door section 29- normally held closed by spring hinges 3B. The upper panel 28 is formed at the top with a hinged, transversely extending top section 3i which is of a width equal to and closes the ceiling compartment 2, which extends to the vertical planes of the outside edges of the doors 2B. The top section3l of the upper panel 28 is supported by spring hinges 32 which allow of resisted swinging movement of said section toward the pivots i1, for the purpose which will hereinafter appear.

A spring-pressed latch 33 normally locks the top section 3| in place, and such latch includes a depending pull cord 34 accessible rearwardly of the trap door section 29.

When it is desired to unfold the bed from its normally out-of-the-way position, as shown in Fig. 2, the trap door section 2G is opened and the person reaches through and pulls cord 34, which unlocks the latch 33. The frame 1 is then swung forwardly and downwardly until the hinged top section 3i engages and rests upon the floor, the hinging of this top section permitting the same to rest horizontally on the floor, as shown in Fig. 4. At the same time the trap door section 29 moves down on the outside of the fixed bottom panel 21.

As the frame 1 is being thus lowered and the bed frame Ill emerges from the compartment 2, said bed frame is preferably grasped by the operator and kept substantially in a level position against the resistance of springs 2G, which need not be very heavy.

When frame 1 has been fully lowered to a iioor engaging position, ears 35 on the bed frame are detachably coupled with lingers 3,5 which are carried by the side bars 8; such coupling being accomplished by the use of removable cross pins 31 retained against loss when not in use by means of tie cords 38 (see Fig. 2). As so unfolded the bed is ready for use. To fold the bed and return it to the ceiling compartment 2 the above operations are merely reversed.

The frame 1 between its upper or outer end and the pivots 9 is substantially enclosed within a protective shield 39 which likewise enhances the appearance of the device when the same is in use.

It will be seen, as from Fig. 3, that access into the dressing room i can be had through the doors 26 even when the bed is in lowered position, and the bed structure at no time interferes with convenient use of said dressing room and the facilities therein, as for example the dressing table 3, shelves 4 and 5, or the clothes hanger rod 6. Further, when the bed is in folded position, the

bed frame etc. is entirely out of the way, as it is disposed in the over-head or ceiling compartment 2, which compartment is normally closed against sight of the bed by means of the top section 3i of the upper panel 28.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a ceiling bed as substantially fullls the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the ceiling bed, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

l. A folding bed comprising the combination with a room having a ceiling compartment of a hed frame normally but removably disposed in said compartment, and means for removing the bed frame from and returning it to said compartment, said means including a normally upstanding frame mounted in the room for forward and downward swinging movement from its normal upstanding position to a lowered position adjacent the floor of the room, arms projecting outwardly from the normal upper end of the frame, and which arms project substantially horizontally into the compartment when the main frame is in -upstanding position and extending upwardly when the frame is in its lowered position, the bed frame being pivotally connected to said arms, and means to releasably lock the bed frame in horizontal position to the main frame when the latter is in lowered position, such last named means comprising an ear on one frame and a -nger on the other frame, then overlapping the ear, and a removable cross pin for connecting the ear and finger together.

2. A folding bed comprising the combination with a room having a ceiling compartment, of a bed frame normally but removably disposed in said compartment, and means for removing the bed frame from and returning it to said compartment, said means including a normally upstanding main frame mounted in the room for forward and downward swinging movement from its normal opstanding position to a lowered position adjacent the floor of the room, arms projecting outwardly from the normal upper end of the main frame, and which arms project substantially horizontally into the compartment when the main frame is in upstanding position and substantially vertically when such frame is in its lowered position, the bed frame being pivotally connected to said arms, and means to detachably connect one edge of the bed frame to the main frame when the latter is in lowered position and the bed frame is disposed horizontally whereby the bed frame will then be rigidly supported on the arms and main frame.

3. The combination with a room, a ceiling compartment in the room and a bed frame normally but removably enclosed within the compartment,

of a means for swinging the bed frame out of and back into the compartment, such means including a main frame pivoted intermediate its ends at a point above the floor of the room, such main frame normally upstanding substantially vertically into a position adjacent one side of the compartment and when swung outwardly extending downwardly at an angle toward and with its lower edge in contact with the cor of the room, arms projecting outwardly from the normal upper edge of the main frame, which arms project substantially horizontally into the compartment when the main frame is in upstanding position and substantially verticaily when the main frame is in its lowered position, the bed frame being pivoted intermediate its ends to the arms, and means for detachably connecting one edge of the bed frame to the main frame when the latter is in lowered position, whereby the bed frame is then rigidly supported on the arms and the main frame. v

4. A combination as in claim 2 and including a spring interposed between the bed frame and arms on the side of the latter which is opposite the point of connection between the bed frame and main frame, the pivot point between the bed frame and arms being closer to the edge of the bed frame opposite the edge at which the bed frame is to be connected to the main frame than o it is to said latter edge.

5. A combination as in claim 2 and including therewith a track in the compartment and a roller on the bed frame adapted to ride the track after the leading side of the bed frame enters the compartment with the upward swing of the main frame.

6. The combination with a room and an adjacent open-front closet and an open-front compartment above the closet, a bed frame normally disposed in the compartment, and mechanism for swinging said bed frame out of and back into said compartment, of paneling secured to said mechanism and forming a closure for the open sides of the closet and compartment when the bed frame is in the compartment, a releasable latch adjacent the upper end of the paneling normally latching the latter in closed position, a trap door formed in the lower edge of the paneling and a latch operating pull cord extending from the 'latch to a point adjacent the trap door.

7. A combination as in claim 6 in which the bed swinging mechanism inclines downwardly to a point lin connection with the floor when the bed is swung into the room, and the portion of the paneling covering the open front of the compartment is hinged along its lower edge to the top edge of that portion of the paneling which covers the open side of the closet, whereby the rst named portion may hinge relative to the second named portion and lie at on the oor of the room, the balance of the paneling then inclining upwardly with that portion of such mechanism which is then projected into the room.

VICTOR R. WILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 210,777 Hale Dec. 10, 1878 774,275 Pyle Nov. 8, 1904 890,556 Chatem June 9, 1908 1,293,978 Teasdale Feb. 11, 1919 1,313,760 Teasdale Aug. 19,A 1919 

